The present invention relates to a method and respective applications which apply a graphical image, a pattern, text, or any combination thereof onto an article, wherein the illustration appears, disappears, then re-appears through a multitude of cycles without compromising the durability of the article using a process defined as moisture-activated invisible stencil technology.
It is common to apply or create an image, graphic, pattern or text on and into a fabric or material to enhance its aesthetic appearance. For instance, often times typical t-shirts are altered by applying artwork in a form of an image, a graphic, a pattern, and/or text to the front or back of the fabric or material of the t-shirt to share artwork, convey a message, display a logo, or present any other information. Other articles such as apparel, including shirts, pants, sweatshirts, sweatpants, coats, shoes, canvas shoes, hats, socks, and the like can also be adorned by the moisture-activated invisible stencil technology. The technology can be expanded to other products, including backpacks, bedding including mattresses, bed sheets, cover sheets, mattress liners, and the like; table wear including tablecloths, napkins, and the like; pool decks; wet roadway warnings including road surface appliquès, road signs, and the like; absorbents, including sponges, towels, and the like; coolers; individual beverage coolers; umbrellas; and the like.
Artwork is commonly applied to the apparel or other material via an appliqué, silk screening, heat transfers, printing process, painting, embroidery, weaves, stone washing, tie dyes and/or other dyes, and the like. The artwork is generally of an opaque colored process, where the artwork remains visible throughout the life of the garment or other object. It is further noted that the artwork remains visible as applied to the material. More specifically, if the artwork were printed or applied to a single side of the material, it remains visible to and only to the first side of the material. If the artwork were applied to both sides of the material, such as embroidery, it remains visible to both sides of the material.
A first known related art utilizes nylon or other synthetic material that is treated to allow a variation in the shading of the fabric to appear as a pattern when the fabric is wet which is not visible when the fabric dries. The first known related art is limited wherein the nylon fabric does not allow the pattern to be visible on both sides of the fabric. The surface of the nylon fabric must be altered on the top of the fabric to allow the pattern to become visible on only the top of the fabric. The method is limited to nylon or very similar synthetic material, as process requires a branding or melting of the synthetic fabric surface of the nylon fabric to produce the effect. It is recognized that the synthetic nylon fabric dries very quickly, thus the image is only visible over a very short time period. Since the surface of the nylon fabric is altered, the image can become visible when the material is placed at an angle to the viewing party. The contrast created when the material is subject to moisture is limited at best, thus the artwork is only visible within a short viewing distance.
A second known related art utilizes a method forming of a distinct pattern on an article of apparel by applying a template onto a base substrate. A wax is applied over the stencil. The stencil is removed, leaving an exposed portion of the base substrate for application of a dye, paint, stain, or other color treatment. The exposed portion of the base substrate is colored. The wax is subsequently removed, leaving the applied image thereon.
A third known related art utilizes a method by which images on a disposable material fade when the material gets wet. The third known related art is limited where the visible image only fades when wet and fails to reappear when the material dries. The moisture causes degradation of the applied image, thus causing the image to fade away. This creates a single use application of the third known related art. The third known related art generally applies the images onto a disposable back-sheet which are typically made of a ‘breathable’ polyethylene film or a non-woven and film composite which is intended to prevent wetness transfer to the bed or clothes while helping the child to learn to stay dry. An example of this embodiment is a diaper, which includes an image. The image is dissolved by moisture to indicate that the image has been subjected to moisture. Since the image dissolves, it can't reappear when dry.
A fourth known related art utilizes a method of placing an opaque fabric over a secondary printed fabric such that when the opaque fabric subjected to moisture, the opaque fabric becomes partially transparent enabling the secondary printed fabric to show therethrough. The fourth known related art is limited in the requirement of two layers of material. The outer layer must be of a special type of opaque fabric, which would become partially transparent when wet. The opaque fabric must also remain in contact with the printed layer to ensure visibility of the artwork. Any gap therebetween would limit the viewing of the artwork of the second layer.
A fifth known related art is a toy that utilizes a frame which holds paper that has a highly colored substrate covered by a layer of silica and resins which becomes transparent when wet and opaque when dry so that the bright color does or does not show through depending on whether the surface is wet or dry. A fifth known related art is limited wherein the apparatus requires a layer of silica and resin across its entire surface. The concept severely limits any potential applications, as the material is not robust. Paper is not susceptible to applications for apparel, repeated use, heavy traffic such as floors, roadways, etc., and the like. The design is not capable of being cleaned.
A sixth known related art utilizes printed artwork using inks that remain concealed until exposed to an activator are currently available, wherein the activator is Ultra-Violet light. The image is commonly outlined with non-changing ink, such as a black outline, a colored image, and the like. The UV activated ink is generally colored and applied within the printed line drawing, where the UV activated inks become visible, revealing a color enhancement to the illustration. The ink required for this application is expensive. Applications using this ink are limited, as the process requires UV light to reveal the image.
Objects that are wet can create hazardous conditions. Wet roads generally have less traction than dry roads. Signs are commonly used to warn drives that roads may become slippery when wet. This process is limited, where the driver is not informed if the roads are actually wet. Wet pool decks can become slippery. Pool decks are subjected to a warning system similar to the process described for roads; relying upon signs. Floors, such as retail outlets, supermarkets, office buildings, and the like can become slippery when wet. When a floor becomes wet, the process commonly requires deployment of a warning marker, such as a cone or other warning device. A significant limitation is the time between when traction is reduced on a surface due to moisture and when a warning of the pending hazard is presented.
While the disclosed references may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they fail to enable hidden or “phantom” artwork to appear when moisture is applied to the material and subsequently disappear when the material dries.
There is a need for a method of applying an illustration onto an object, where the illustration is revealed when subjected to moisture and disappears when the article dries. The desired process should be repeatable over a multitude of cycles without compromising the durability of the article. The illustration can be provided in the form of a graphical image, a pattern, text, or any combination thereof. The method should be repeatable, the process should not require costly equipment, and such method should not affect the use of the article and in which the article is unchanged by the process. It is desired to provide a method that can provide immediate notification of a hazardous surface.